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AssigneeGNB Battery Technologies Inc.
InventorCory D. Benson
Estimating the term…
An apparatus for delivering molten lead or a lead alloy to the cast-on-strap molds used in the manufacture and assembly of lead-acid batteries is disclosed which comprises a lead delivery member having a lead reservoir of the molten lead or lead alloy, at least one nozzle communicating with the lead reservoir and having an outlet, a valve for each nozzle which controls the amount of lead delivered to the molds when the apparatus is in a lead delivery position, and a heater for maintaining the molten lead at a selected temperature, a frame structure for mounting the apparatus to allow the lead supply member to be rotated between the lead delivery position and a home or wait position about an axis of rotation, a stepper motor and a right angle gear reducer to rotate the lead supply member between the respective positions, the lead reservoir being positioned sufficiently close to the axis of rotation so as to allow movement of the lead delivery member at a selected rate between the lead delivery and wait positions, and the outlet of the nozzle being positioned directly above the cast-on-strap mold when the lead supply member is in the lead delivery position.
An apparatus for delivering molten lead to at least one cast-on-strap mold having a lead delivery position and a wait position comprising a lead delivery member having a lead reservoir sized to hold a volume of molten lead adequate to fill a plurality of cast-on-strap mold cavities, at least one nozzle communicating with said lead reservoir and having an outlet, a valve for each nozzle operable to allow molten lead to be delivered through said outlet of said nozzle when the apparatus is in the lead delivery position and a heater for maintaining the molten lead at a selected temperature, a frame structure for mounting said apparatus to allow said lead supply member to be rotated between the lead delivery and wait positions about an axis of rotation, means for rotating said lead supply member between the lead delivery and wait positions, said lead reservoir being positioned sufficiently close to the axis of rotation so as to allow movement of said lead delivery member at a selected rate between the lead delivery and wait positions, and the outlet of said nozzle being positioned directly above the cast-on-strap molds when said lead supply member is in the lead delivery position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.